Journal of Dairy Research

Table of Contents - November 1989 - Volume 56, Issue 05  

Original articles

Feeding calcium soaps of fatty acids to lactating cows: effect on production, body condition and blood lipids

David Sklana1, Eytan Bogina2, Yaakov Avidara2 and Shai Gur-Ariea3

a1 Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University, PO Box 12, Rehovot, 76–100, Israel

a2 Department of Biochemistry, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, Israel

a3 Koffolk (1949) Ltd, Petach-Tikva, Israel

Summary

Ca soaps of fatty acids (CSFA, 0·5 kg/d) were added to the diet of lactating cows for 170 d, and production, body condition score and blood lipids were examined.

Production of fat-corrected milk was increased by 1·5 kg/d owing to increase in both milk and fat production. Over 250 d lactation, production of fat-corrected milk was enhanced by 1·3 kg/d. Body condition scores were lower in cows fed CSFA in early lactation, but tended to exceed those of control cows after 80 d lactation. Reproductive performance was improved in cows fed CSFA.

Serum total lipids, phospholipids and cholesterol were increased in CSFA cows at 15 and 29 d but not at 59 d post partum. The cholesterol increase was mainly in the high density lipoprotein fraction.

(Received November 15 1988)

(Accepted June 01 1989)